Soba Noodle Salad
Source: Lori Frank, Park Café Group
Recipe Type: Salads | Seasons: Autumn, Summer
This recipe was demonstrated for CUESA’s Market to Table program on September 8, 2018.
This recipe is a guideline, especially with respect to the vegetables included. Use what’s fresh and seasonal from the market, and whatever looks good and makes you feel good! Other vegetables that taste delicious in this salad include spring onion, radishes, bitter greens, and roasted cauliflower.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
Dressing
9 ounces shiro miso
9 ounces tahini
¼ cup ginger juice (from about 1½ pounds ginger)
½ cup sesame oil
¼ cup mirin
1 ounce rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ cup water (plus more to thin the dressing, as needed)
Salad
12 ounces dried Soba noodles
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons sesame oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups mixed cut vegetables, such as tomato, cucumber, steamed broccoli, blanched beans, carrots, avocado
PREPARATION
To prepare the dressing: Combine dressing ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and combine with a whisk, thinning if necessary. Set aside.
To prepare the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Lower to medium-high and add noodles. Boil for 6-8 minutes, checking for doneness. Pour noodles into a colander and rinse well with cold water. Toss in a bowl with soy sauce and sesame oil – this will add flavor and keep the noodles from sticking to each other.
Cut and prepare the vegetables as desired. Having some cooked and some uncooked provides a variety of textures, which enhances the salad. I recommend blanching or steaming the broccoli and beans, but leaving the carrots raw.
Toss the noodles, vegetables, and dressing together. It’s best to mix with your hands, as the dressing tends to be thick. Start with a small amount of dressing, as it’s quite strongly flavored and you don’t need a lot of it.
